Method of heating metal, glass, or other material to render the same workable



Feb. 16 1926. 1,572,975

J. W. VAN METER METHOD OF HEATING METAL. GLASS, OR OTHER MATERIAL TO RENDER THE SAME WORKABLE Filed June 5, 1922 P'atented Feb. 16, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. VAN METER, OF

SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA.

METHOD HEATING METAL, GLASS, OR OTHER MATERIALTO BENDEB THE SAME WORKABLE.

Application filed June 5,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. VAN METER, a citizen of'the United States, and resident of San Rafael, Marin County, State of California, have invented a new and useful Method of Heating Metal, Glass, or Other Material to Render the Same VVorkable, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in methods of heating metal, glass or other material to render the same workable, the object of the invention being to provide an improved method by which such material can be heated in a very short time, at minimum cost, and without the employment of expensive furnaces or apparatus, and without the employment of fire or electric current, and which is effective to render such material and any article made thereof, when so treated, sufficiently hot to enable the same to be bent, shaped, cut, or rendered otherwise workable, the invention consisting in exposing such material to the action of heat generated bythe chemical reaction of 5 a reaction causing agent, such as for instance, chlorine, on a body of initially inert material such as for instance, particles of zinc, iron, lead, arsenic, or other metal, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a diagram, partly in elevation and partly in sectlon, showing a pipe in an initial stage of treatment in accordance with my improved method, preparatory to bending.

b Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the pipe ent.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a body of material such as metal or glass in the act of being heated from the exterior in accordance with my improved method.

In accordance with my improved method, for the purpose of heating an article made of metal, glass or other material for the purpose of rendering the same workable, I

provide a suflicient charge or body of material which is initially inert and which may consist preferably of sawdust, which contains some moisture, bran, or the like,

and mix the same intimately with an initial- 1922. Serial No. 566,204.

ly inert material, such for instance, particles of zinc, iron, lead, or other metal, or arsenic. Such a charge is indicated diagrammatically at 1, and assuming that the work is a tube 2 of iron, glass or other material, and it is required to heat the same, interiorly, to render the same workable so that it can be bent or'fashioned as may be desired, I confine the said body or char 'e of initially inert material in the said tu e, at the required or desired point by means of wads 3 which are preferably made of loose asbestos or other material which is readily permeable by gas and air.

I also provide a sufficient quantity of a reaction causin agent, such as for instance, chlorine, which is here diagrammatically shown as contained under pressure in a liquid state in a tank 4. Said tank has a valve 5 which may be opened or closed atwill to control the passage of chlorine gas from the tank to the work or pipe through a tube 6 which is here shown as entering one end of the pipe or other work 2 through a suitable stopper 7. I also preferably pro vide means to force air through the said tube to the charge or body of initially inert material in the work and for the purpose of this specification I show acontainer 8 for compressed air, which container is provided with a suitable controlling valve 9, and communicates with the tube 6 through a tube 10. An escape tube 11 is also in most instances desirable in order to protect the operative from the fumes, and is here shown as leading through a stopper 12 in the work pipe, and may be carried and arranged to discharge into the outer air or into a vessel of water or other place where the fumes may be absorbed or neutralized, In order to enable any desired pressure to be attained in the work tube during the chemical reaction of the chlorine on the metallic particles, I also provide the escape tube 11 with a valve 11*, which may be opened or closed to any desired extent or at any time required.

In order then to heat the work and render the same workable, it is only necessary to open the valve of the chlorine tank and 100 tos wads.

thus permit chlorine to enter the work 2 and to pass through the charge of initially inert material therein, through the ashes- As the chlorine comes in contact with the initially inert material constitutm the body of the charge it reacts chem1- caIly on the metal partic es, zinc, Iron, lead or the like in the charge, and as the result of such chemical reaction an intense heat is instantaneously developed, without the a1d of oxygen, and to which the work is exosed, and by which the work, whether as in this instance a pipe, or other artlcle or object, and whether made of iron, steel, or other metal, or of glass, porcelain or other material, is in a very short space of time rendered workable so'that it can be bent as shown in Fig. 2, or otherwise worked as may be desired.

The sawdust or other moisture contalmng material in the charge of inltially inert material forms a core when the method is bein carried out. in the interior of a hollow ob ect such as a pipe, as here shown, and is ignited by the heat generated by the chemical reaction of the chlorine on the metallic particles, and, caused to burn, but not to be completely consumed, and hence remains as in the form of charcoal in the work ipe or other hollow object and forms a ller therein which prevents the pipe or other hol-' low object from being distorted cross sectionally while being bent. A binding material, such as a hydrocarbon oil, may be used advantageously in some instances in formin the body or core and it also acts to retam the moisture in the sawdust particles.

The bending may be done manually if the pipe or other work object is ofordinary size, or may be bent or otherwise worked by any suitable mechanical or other means, within the scope of my invention.

The compressed air is only used for forcing all of the fumes from the work tube' and out of the vicinity, and for scavenging and cooling the work.

An especial advantage results from the use of my method in heating a pipe to render the same bendable, as by means of my method the pipe can be heated from the inside.

My improved method can also with equal facility be em'loyed in heating an ob ect from the outsi e'in order to render the same workable and in Fig. 3 I illustrate diagramratically how this can be done, the work 11" being embedded in a charge 12 of the initially inert material, in a suitable receptacle such as for instance an oven ,or furnace 13, and the chlorine being introduced through a ipe 14 and the gases emitted through a ue 15.

For bending a two-inch iron tube, such for instance as a boiler tube, I have ordinarily used about two pounds of material in about the following proportions: metal particles 1% pounds, sawdust pound, chlorine (liquid) about 4 pound. These proportions may be varied according to the thickness of the tube, and as a eneral rule enou h of the material shoul be used to fill t at portion of the tube which is to be bent or otherwise worked. For working material such as glass, a smaller quantity of the material may be employed.

I would have it understood that the term workable as used in the foregoing descri tion and in the appended claims is to construed as coverlng the annealing of material by my improved heating process as well as the bending, sha ing, formin or otherwise performing wor of any kin on such material.

What I claim is 1. The herein described method of heating metal, glass and other materials to render the same workable, consistin in exposing such material to the action 0 heat generated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere by the chemical reaction of a reaction causing agent on a body of initially inert materia 2. The herein described method of heating metal, glass and other material, to render the same workable, consisting in exposing such material to the action of heat generated by the chemical reaction of a reaction causing agent, on a body of initially inert material.

3. The method of rendering metal, glass and other material workable, consisting in exposing the same to the action of heat generated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere by the chemical reaction of a reaction causing agent on initially inert material.

4. The method of rendering metal, glass and other material workable, consisting in exposing the same to the action of heat generated in a non-oxidizing atmos here by the chemical reaction of a reaction causing agent on metallic particles.

5. The method of rendering metal, glass or other material workable, consisting in associating the same with a charge or bod of initially inert material and causing suc initially inert material to be acted upon by a reaction causing agent, to generate heat in a non-oxidizing atmosphere which is communicated to such metal or other material.

6. The method of rendering a hollow object of metal, glass or other material workable, consisting in placing in such hollow object a :harge or body of initially inert material and introducing to such charge or body of initially inert material a reaction object a. core of combustible material containing moisture, together with initially inert material and subjecting such core to the action of a reaction causing agent to 5 generate heat in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. 8. The method of rendering metal, glass and other material workable, consisting in exposing the same to the action of heat generated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere by the chemical reaction of a reaction causing agent 10 under. pressure, on initially inert material. In witness whereof I aflix my signature.

. JAMES W. VAN LflETER. 

